Gaseous-fuel mixer.



1. W. LATUG.

GASEOUS FUEL MIXER. APPUCATION FILED MAY 22' I913.

Yatented July 10, 1917.

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JACOB WILLIAM LATTIG, F GLENSIDE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASQIGNQE, BY MESSNEASSIGN- MENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO MITCHELL H QWOODHULL, 01* NEW YURK, It".1., AND ONE- ll-IALF TO ARTHUR C. ll-IUTCI-Zfilfifill, QF EQUNDBRUOK,NEW JERSEY.

hpplication filed May 22, 1913.

.whichthe said fuel is first vaporized in the presence of air and thensupplied to the cylinders. Its objects are, among others, to provide adevice adapted to be interposed between the carburetor and the enginecylinder and to act upon the mixture of air and hydrocarbonvaporcominonly called gas-in such a manner as to remilate, control andauxlhate the same and thereby efiect an economy of fuel, prevent foulingor carburization of the cylinders and ignition devices, preventback-firing and insure the easy starting and smooth running of theengine.

"It is a well known fact that in engines of the character indicated,.and particularly those used for the'propulsion of automobiles aconsiderable percentage of the fuel is wasted, andthat this wasteof'fuel is not only a great expense but causes fouling of the cylindersand other parts as well as other undesirable results.

Another difiiculty is in starting the engine when the parts are cold andthe gasolone does not volatilize rapidly, and still another seriousobjection is the smoke caused by such engines.

The present improvements do not relate to the carburetor, nor yet to theengine, although they have a direct bearing on both. and contemplate acertain arrangement and relationship to both. They reside essentially inthe provision of a diaphragm or partition and an absorbent capillarybody,

so constructed and arranged as to permit the relatively free JFISSZLYGof fuel as therethrough and at the same time receive and hold smallparticles of liquid and present them for vaporization at all times, andparticularly when the percentage of vapor falls below a certain point,thus insuring a uniform mixture and also supplying Specifiea tion oiLetters tatent.

' patented Jain to, rein Serial No. 769,12t.

' vapor at times when the supply from the carburetor is not adequate orsatisfactory.

This device is located between the carbureter and the engine, and itspeculiar functions are such that it must be substantially separate anddistinct from both.

It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings-in which Figure 1 is aview partly in elevation and partly in section of a de vice locatedbetween a carburetor and'manifold pipe embodying the improvements. Fig.2 is a plan view (looking upward from the carburetor) of the device onanenlargcd scale, and Fig. 3 is a viewin cross section on the line 3 3of Fig. 2 with the device rei'crscd from the position shown in Fig. 1.Fig. 4- is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a modification.

1 represents a carburetor and 2 a manifold pipe, and the improved deviceis secured between the manifold pipe 2 and the outlet of the carbureter.

The manifold pipe 2 has an annular flange 3 on its end, and the outletof the carburetor is made with a flange 6, said flanges havingregistering openings therein for the reception of bolts 5. so that whenthe device is positioned between the flanges 3 and 6, the bolts 5 may beprojected through said flanges and secured by nuts 4 and 7 to securelyclamp the device between them.

The device comprises a metal ring composed of a connecting portion 8with inwardly extending flanges 9 and 10 giving it a U-shapc incross-section, a disk of foraminous metal 12 and an annulus of absorbentmaterial 11 clamped between the flanges 9 and 10, and the whole forming:1 diaphragm or partition spanning the bore of the pipe 2. The metaldisk is composed of woven wire netting, and this is the 'preferredconstruction. It may, however, be made in some other suitable form, asit is only necessary that it shall be relatively rigid and shall.present a suitable number of openings through which the vapor may pass,and preferably of a size small enough to prevent bac k fire. Theabsorbent material 11 is madam the form of an annulus in order to leavethe central portion of the metal disk tree and unobstructed thereby. Ifdesired, however, the absorbentmaterial t 10 and connecting may also bemade in some other suitable form which will permit the free passage ofvapor therethrough to the desired extent.

The diaphragm 12 arts as a screen and not only breaks up the vaporcharged air passing therethrough, but retards it and agitates it to acertain extent, and theabsorbent 11, which is of some soft capillarymaterial, preferably fibrous. acts as a wick to absorb and break up theparticles of liquid in the mixture and hold them by capillary action sothat it will provide a basis of vaporization and act as an equalizer ofthe strength of the mixture.

The ring composed of the flanges 9 and portion '8 is clamped between theflanges 3 and (5, as hereinbefore described, and the space inclosed bythe said ring is of greater diameter than the passage from thecarburcter to the manifold pipe, so that the metal ring does notobstruct the passage. and gives to the partition consisting of the wick11 and metal diaphragm 12 a maximum area of exposed surface. The flange9 is provided with an annular flange 13 turned substantially parallelwith the conduit between the carbureter and the manifold, the purpose ofwhich is to fix the position of the device and hold it in place byengaging the inner walls of said conduit. This flange is. on the side ofthe device nearest the carburcter, and it will be understood that theabsorbent is also preferably on that side, so as to be protected by thescreen 12 from the engine. This is important when the absorbent is madeof inflammable material instead of asbestos or some othernon-inflammable absorbent.

In operation, the wick becomes saturated with the gasolene, and presentsan extended surface through which the gas passes to the cylinders, butholds back and absorbs any globules or particlesdue to imperfectvaporization, condensation or other cause which would otherwise pass tothe cylinders and present them in the proper manner for vaporization andmixture with air.

In the modification of Fig. 4 the screen 14 is given a truncatedconical. form at the center and at the apex. ()n the side next to thecarburetor, is a disk of absorbent material 15, sewn or otherwisesecured to the screen. vWith this construction some of the particles ofliquid rushing through the conduit willstrike the oblique sides of thecenthcrcin, an

tral cone at an acute angle and have a tendency to break up and deflectin the direction of the central absorbent disk 15, while the others willstrike the absorbent 15 and be absorbed and broken up thereby.

While I have illustrated and described a. preferred form of theinvention, it will be apparent that various immaterial changes may bemade in the general form and arrangement of parts described without de-'parting from the invention, and hence I do not limit myself to theprecise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make suchchanges and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is: I

.1. A device of the character described adapted to be located in theconduit betweena carburetor and an engine cylinder, comprising apartition of metal with openings absorbent supported by said partitionand a hollow metal ring inclosing the outer edges of the partition andthe absorbent and the surfaces thereof adjacent to said outer edges, anda flange extending from the inner edge of said hollow metal ring in adirection substantially parallel with the adjacent walls of the conduit.

2. The combination of a metal frame and an absorbent, said absorbentbeing located at different points longitudinally in the conduit betweenthe carburetor and the engine cylinder and having an opening thereinadapted to permit the free passage of fluid.

3. The combination of a metal frame and an absorbent, said absorbentbeing located in the interior of the metal frame and spaced from theouter edges of" said metal frame, so that the gaseous fuel may passbetween it and the walls of the conduit in which the I

